Darth Minar

Chapter 10

When Kanan had heard the voice of Maul he'd jumped back in confusion. Maul, the man who had blinded him, was contacting him through the force.
"What is it?"  Kanan thought to Maul, seething.
"Calm yourself, Jedi. I just want my apprentice and the holocrons."
"Well, I can't help you there. Ezra is no longer my apprentice."  Kanan thought, trying to avoid the sadness that partially crept into his thoughts.
"No longer your apprentice?"  Maul asked, confused. "How do?" 
"He was taken, actually he went willingly. To the empire. He trains with Vader now."
"What?  What about the holocrons?"
"I no longer possess them."  Kanan thought. Maul scowled in his head.
"Kanan?"  Hera asked, walking up behind him. Kanan ended the conversation and turned around.  He could sense her despair.
"Hera, what's wrong?"  Kanan asked, putting his arm around her.
"It's Ezra."  She said sadly. "Follow me."
Hera led Kanan to where she and Sato had previously listened to the message. When Kanan entered, his shoulders tensed. He sensed Ezra, but his signature wasn't right, and it wasn't because it was a prerecorded message.
"I know you can't see, Kanan, but he looks bad."  Hera informed solemnly.
"I can sense it. His signature is, different."  Kanan said vaguely. Hera nodded and played the message.
"Sato, Hera, Kanan, anyone. Just listen. I'm resisting Vader. But, I don't know how much longer I'll last." He paused, taking a deep breath. Kanan could sense his despair. He felt a positive sign for a second, but it quickly faded. Positivity was too difficult to embrace. Ezra really had changed.
"I'm on the Star destroyer as a guest." He said, slightly emphasizing the word guest. "But, I'm fading. I'm sure you can see it, I sure can. And I can feel it. Vader is inspiring my actions a little everyday. He told me I could leave, but I can't. He threatened Lothal and Chopper Base. But, before I'm lost, I have to say I'm not sorry. You're the closest think to a father I've got right now, and I'd do anything for you. I overheard Vader talking to the emperor. He said something about something, I don't know what. But, if it doesn't kill me it'll turn me, I know it. So, goodbye." Ezra said. Kanan felt his pain, his suffering. He knew his apprentice didn't have too much longer. He breathed heavily, Ezra's sport was fading.
"I have to find him." Kanan decided, hopeful.
"No, Kanan. Ezra sent this message for a purpose." Sato said. Kanan shook his head. Hera held his face in her hands.
"Kanan, if you get him now he'll be a shell of his former self. We must let him come to us. He is protecting Lothal, and us. We must believe in him." Kanan nodded after a long thought.
"I suppose." He sighed.

As Ezra trained, he felt dull. He felt empty. He'd said his peace and had no reason to fight anymore. But, he found it difficult to embrace the darkness he was fighting so hard to get rid of.
"My apprentice." Vader said. Ezra looked up quickly. "Come with me." Ezra had to give his best performance yet.
"No." He snapped. "I don't know what you're planning to do to me but it is unnecessary. I'll comply." Ezra gave in, kneeling. Vader sensed his loyalty wasn't genuine.
"Alright, then follow me." Vader demanded. Ezra narrowed his eyes, getting to his feet.
"No."
"Sedate him." Vader demanded, his patience running thin. Fear flashed in Ezra's eyes as he was dragged. The world was darkness, but soon he was consumed. He was put in a sedation chamber, one that awakened darkness he didn't know he possessed. One that made him truly Darth Minar.

The inside of Ezra's hallucination was a lot like the inside of a Jedi Temple. He was lost, and he was confused. Fear grabbed hold of his heart, forcing him into despair. Ahead of him, he saw Kanan and Hera.
"Kanan, please, just believe in him."  Hera pleaded.
"No, Ezra is already dead. He's gone, Hera."  Kanan said. A twinge of pain formed in the inside of Ezra. Kanan didn't care.
"He doesn't trust you....". Vader's voice echoed in his head. "But I do, my apprentice."  Ezra tried to keep the darkness out, but he couldn't. He walked forward, coming across a mirror.  He was pale, his hair had grown partially longer and rough. And his eyes were red.
"No, this isn't me."  Ezra tried to convince himself. A shock of electricity went through him and his reflection spoke.
"This is us, Minar. We are sith. We are strong. We are powerful. And we will take revenge on those who don't care.
"Yes."  Ezra muttered in agreement. "I am Darth Minar."

Kanan woke up sweaty and out of breath. Ezra had occupied his dreams, but he wasn't Ezra anymore. Ezra was Darth Minar.
"Kanan, are you alright?" Hera asked, entering Kanan's room. He nodded, but Hera pursed her lips. "Kanan, don't lie to me."
"It's Ezra, he's gone." Kanan said. Hera raised her eyebrows in concern.
"Ezra is strong, there's no way he's already gone." Hera shook her head. She was in denial.  "We just got his message a few days ago...". She fought, exasperated. Kanan shook his head.
"Tell Sato we may need to relocate. Ezra knows the location of our base. He's a sith now, and he'll have no hesitation in telling our location to Vader."  Hera simply nodded and left the room.

"Mmmm, my head."  Ezra groaned, sitting up.  He blinked, blinding white lights shinning in his eyes. Vader paced at his bedside impatiently.  When Ezra started stirring, he looked over.
"Minar, how are you?"  Vader asked.  Ezra rubbed his forehead, squinting his eyes closed and clenching his teeth in pain.
"I'm okay, what happened?"  Ezra asked.  Then, realization flashed in his eyes. But, it was the wrong realization.
"That Jedi scum!  He knocked me out!"  Ezra, no, Minar's anger flashed in his eyes, which now burned golden. "I need revenge." Inside his mind was constant turmoil. A part of him, Minar, had been tainted and warped. He was now pure evil. Another part of him, Ezra, was stuck in his mind. He wanted to get out, but was stuck under Minar's pure, powerful hatred.

"What do you suggest, Kanan.  We are low on fuel, food, and resources altogether!  How are we supposed to move the entire base?!"  Sato asked, flustered. Hera stood by, biting her lip.
"Commander Sato, I'm begging you.  Please, scrape together some resources. Ezra has been turned, and he knows where our base is!  Please, he will bring the entire empire to burn us to the ground!"  Kanan fought.
"How long d'ya think this'll go on?"  Sabine asked Zeb as they both watched Kanan's argument from the distance.  Zeb chuckled lightly and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed.
"I dunno, but Kanan's not getting anywhere."  Zeb said, shaking his head. Sabine gently leaned against the wall.
"What do you think they're arguing about?"  Sabine asked. She knew what they were arguing about, though.
"The kid. Kanan's rambling on about how the kid's turned or something."  Zeb said casually, trying to hide emotion.  Sabine took off her helmet, her face frowning with concern.
"This is serious, Zeb.  We don't know what happened to him, or if he's alright. All we know is next time we see him, he won't be the same."  Sabine said sadly. Zeb frowned. He opened his mouth to speak, but found himself at a loss of words.  Hera walked over, her arms crossed over her chest.
"I know you guys have heard things, and I just thought you'd like to hear it from me.  Ezra, he's gone."  She paused, looking for emotional response. Sabine frowned, she'd grown to like the kid, as a friend.  Zeb kept his expression blank.  He walked away, hiding his face as he mad his way to his room.

His room was strangely quiet, the top bunk was empty and gathering dust, just as it had before. A shelf, previously occupied, now lay empty.  The mural of Ezra laying on top of Zeb remained on the wall, but had started weathering away.
"Kid,"  Zeb sighed. He sat on his bed and put his head in his hands.
"Zeb?"  Ezra's voice echoed in his head.
"Kid?"
"Zeb, I'm not myself. My mind has been infiltrated. I'm gone. And I'm coming. You have to warn Kanan, please."
"Alright, alright. What happened to you?"
"A dark part of me was awakened, and I can't put it back to sleep.  I have to go now.  Goodbye, Zeb."  Ezra said. Zeb's head became quiet as the room he sat in. He ran Kanan, he didn't have much time.

"Kanan, Kanan.  Kanan!"  Zeb called as he ran. Kanan was still arguing with Sato, but turned around, sensing the distress in Zeb's voice.
"Zeb, what is it?"  Kanan asked.
"It's Ezra.  He warned me.  He's not himself, and he's coming."  Zeb repeated carefully. Kanan turned around to face Sato.  Sato nodded, going over the intercom.
"Red alert!  Red alert!  The base is on lockdown. Repeat, the base is on lockdown."  Sato said slowly. Little did he know Ezra was already inside.